A total of 7080 men and women were given state handouts last year, claiming they were too fat to work.

The Department of Works and Pensions figures also reveal obesity claims have doubled in three years.

The claimants were paid £29.3million in the year to April 2012 after proving they were obese.

It was previously thought that £7million was paid out in incapacity benefits.

The biggest chunk of sickness benefits for obesity was made up by disability living allowance – 5090 people were paid £23.3million. And 1600 men and women were paid £4.1million in severe disability living allowance.

Just 390 people were given £1.1million employment and support allowance.

The Government have vowed to cut the welfare bill and replace incapacity benefit with the personal independence payment.

Nearly one million disabled people are in danger of having their benefits slashed or axed as ministers target the sick and vulnerable.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said: “Obesity is costing the taxpayers dear. For too long, the benefits system has been quick to write people off and put them on the sick. This has to stop.”

Britain is the fattest country in Europe with one in four adults classed as obese. Hull was recently named as Britain’s obesity hotspot.

DWP stats also reveal that Glasgow has 116,000 incapacity benefit claimants – the highest in Britain.

It was followed closely by Birmingham with 115,000 then Liverpool with 82,000. The Scilly Isles, off Cornwall, had just 60 claimants.

A DWP spokesman said: “We are determined that people who can work are given the help and support they need to help get back into the labour market.”